Selector



A. H. REIBER Sept; 18, 1934.

SELECTOR Original Filed Sept. 2. 1922 INVENTOR 1415527 /7. P6755? BY KATTO

Reissued Sept. 18, 1934 PATENT OFFICE SELECTOR Albert H. Reiber,Evanston, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Teletype Corporation,Chicago, 111., a, corporation of Delaware Original No. 1,514,792, datedNovember 11, 1924,

Serial No. 585,870, September 2,

1922. Application for reissue July 13, 1934, Serial No. 735,051

13 Claims. (Cl. 178-23) .Printing telegraph systems of modern typeinclude a transmitting station and receiving stations which latter maybe connected over a number of individual lines to a plurality ofsubsidiary stations. The present invention provides means forautomatically selecting any of the individual lines to which connectionis desired.

The drawing illustrates a diagram of a receiving station to which eightindividual lines are connected. A transmitting station is schematicallyindicated. Both stations may be combined in one unit. The selection ofindividual lines is originated by means of code-signals according to theBaudot or similar codes, translated by means of a perforated tape, whichsignals may preferably comprise a blank signal and include such othersignals as normally are used for effecting various mechanical functionsof a telegraphprinter.

Printing telegraph apparatus to which the present invention ispeculiarly adapted is disclosed in Patents Nos. 1,564,421 and 1,463,136for a transmitting device and a receiving device respectively. It isunderstood that the individual elements shown in the drawing of thepresent case, or their equivalents, are also shown in the patents aboveenumerated, except such devices as are added thereto or modified, toaccomplish the specific objects of the present invention.

In a general way, three typical Baudot signals are utilized to producethe desired results in selecting any one of the several individuallines.

A blank signal consisting, preferably, of fivespacing impulses, isemployed to set the selecting brush-arm to normal. Thecarriage-return-signal, consisting of minus, minus, minus, plus,

minus, sent over contact-segment No. 4 of the distributor-head, isemployed to step the selecting brush-arm forward to the selectedsegment, one signal for each step. Finally, the line-feedsignal,consisting of minus, plus, minus, minus, minus, sent overcontact-segment No. 2 of the distributor-head, is employed to disengagethe line-selecting mechanism so that it will not be affected by futurecarriage-return-signals, unless they are preceded by a blank signal. Theselection of the desired individual line depends upon the number ofcarriage-return-signals sent. Any other Baudot or similar code signalsmay, of course, be used for performing the aforementioned three objects.

The drawing indicates at 10 a telegraph-transmitter of theperforated-tape type, though it is understood that any othertransmitter, including a keyboard-transmitter, may be used. The movabletongue of transmitter 10 may be connected over line 11 to the receivingunit of the apparatus, if desired, located at a distant station. Aconductor 12, leads from line 11 through a resistance 13 to a polarizedline-relay 14, having a movable contact-tongue 15, playing betweenmarking contact 16 and-spacing contact 17. A conductor 18 connectsmarking contact 16 with upper winding 19 of control relay 20, aconductor 21 further connects winding'lB with start magnet 22, fromwhere conductor 23 leads to start segment 24 of distributor-head 25. Arotatable brush-arm 26 travels over the face of the distributor-head, inthe direction of the arrow, indicated in the drawing, and connects theouter ring containing start segment 24 and segments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6,with battery-ring 2'7, and by means of conductor 28 leads to positivepole of battery 29, the negative pole of which is connected by means ofconductor 30 to contacttongue 15 of line-relay 14.

The energization of control relay 20 results in the attraction ofarmature 31, connected by means of conductor 32 to sixth-impulse-segment33 of distributor-head 25. Traveling arm 26 of distributor-head 25 isadapted to be engaged by detent 34, forming the armature of start magnet22. The arm 26 is secured on a friction-driven shaft, and energizationof magnet 22, resulting in attraction of armature 34, releases arm 26forone full revolution, as now well known in printing telegraphapparatus.

Control relay 20 is provided with a second armature 35, which may beintegral with armature 31, and the fixed contact-point forsame isconnected, by means of conductor 36, to spacing contact-point 1'7, ofcontact-tongue 15. The pivot of armature 35 is connected to one terminalof winding 37 of control relay 20, the second terminal of which leads topositive pole of battery winding 37 of contral relay 20, in the eventthat contact-tongue 15 is in contact with spacing contact-point 17,results in the closing of a locking circuit for control relay 20, untilcontacttongue 15, on proper energization of polarized relay 14, opensspacing contact-points 17 and again closes marking contact-points 16.

The energization of control relay 20 and the attraction of armature 31,after proper rotation of brush-arm 26, results in the energization ofreleasing magnet 38, over conductor 39, leading to one terminal of itswinding, the second terminal of which leads to negative pole ofbattery29, over conductor 40. Releasing magnet 38 is provided witharmature-lever 41, having a detent42 adapted to engage one of the teethof ratchet 43 and forming the'holding pawl for-the ratchet against thetension of spiral-spring 44. Arma ture-lever 41 acts upon one arm ofbiased latch 45, the second arm of which normally supports the end ofarmature 46, of llne-feed-signal-relay 47, biased by spring 48 to closecontact-springs 49 and 50, on the removal of latch 45. Contact spring 50is connected to fourth-impulse-segment 51 of distributor-head 25, overwire 52,-while contact-spring 49 is connected over conductor 53 7 to oneterminal of the winding of stepping magnet 54, the second terminal ofwhich is connected to negative pole of battery 29 through tongue 15 ofline-relay 14 upon its operation in response to a carriage returnsignal. Stepping magnet 54 attracts armature 55, having a stepping pawl56 pivoted thereto. Spring 57 tends to pull armature 55 away from magnet54, and'spring 58 forces the end of stepping pawl 56 against the teethof ratchet 43. A rotatable arm 59 is secured to ratchet 43 and capableof traveling on selector-head 60. It normally rests against stop 61, butit is successively making contact with selector-segments 62 of thesubsidiary lines I to VIII, inclusive.

Operation The drawing shows a schematic diagram of a transmittingstationfor sending signals to any one of a number of departments orsub-stations over lines I to VIII, inclusive.

In order to automatically select, preferably by 7 means of a perforatedtape, any one of the different sub-station lines, the procedure is, asfollows:-Assuming that a message is to be sent to a-sub-station overwire III, the blank code-signal is first perforated on the tape, thenthree car- 'riage-retu'rn-signals and then a line-feed-signal- Thefunction of the blankcode-signal is to return the lever 59 to its pointof rest against stop 61 and to set the mechanism so that the followingcarriage-return-signals will step the traveling arm 59 forward. Theselection of the proper sub-station depends upon the numberofcarriage-return-signals perforated in the tape. The function of thefollowing line-feed-signal is to disengage the line-selecting mechanismso it will not be afiected by future carriage-return-signals, unlessthese signals are preceded by a blank-code signal. I r

When a markingimpulse is sent from transmitter 10, line-relay-tongue 15moves into contact with its marking contact and thereby energizescontrol relay 20, as well as start magnet 22. If a blank-signal follows,relay-tongue 15 then returns to its spacing-contact-point 1'7, and locksup relay 20, through armature 35 and winding 7 37. The contacts ofarmature 31 remain closed while brush-arm 26 passes. over segments 1, 2,3, 4 and 5, and moves to sixth-impulse-segment 33. When brush 26 reachesslxth-impulse-segment 33, magnet 38 is operated and permits spring 44 toreturn arm 59 to stop 61. The energization of magnet 38 also closescontact-springs 49 and 50, thereby providing a path from thefourth-segment 51 of distributor-head 25 to stepping magnet 54. For eachcarriage-retum-signal thatfollows, line relay 14 will respondaccordingly and arm 59 of auxiliary distributor-head 60 ,will be steppedforward by magnet 54 the distance of one segment. If the thirdsub-station is desired, three carriage-retum-signals are used to steparm 59 to the third of the segments 62, thereby connecting transmitter10 and line 11 directly to line III. When now the next line-feed-signalis received, magnet 47 is operated under control of linerelay 14 inresponse to the line feed signal, contact-springs 49 and 50 are againopened and subsequent carriage-return-signals cannot affect magnet 54.

Magnet 38 is only operated when a blank-code signal is sent. If, afterthe start impulse is sent, any one or more of the fiveselecting impulsesare of marking polarity, line-relay-tongue 15 moves away from itsspacing. contact-point 1'7 and breaks the locking circuit to relay 20.While brush-arm 26 of distributor-head 25 reaches in its one revolutionthe sixth-impulse-segment 33, therefore, the contact. of armature 31 isbroken and the magnet 38 will not be operated so as to set the entiremechanism to normal..

The substance of the present invention, as it appears from the foregoingdisclosure, includes the utilization of code signals of the Baudot orother type, other than the code signas representing printing characters,for controlling selective apparatus toestablish connection between amain station and any of a number of substations.

It is old in the art to utilize such code-signals in telegraph-printersfor the purpose of controlling the niechanical functions of the printer,but it is thought to be broadly new to utilize the same in the mannerand for the purpose herein set forth.

As new is claimedzl. The method of selective signaling which consists inimparting, to a line, code signals of a variety'of five impulses ofdifferent polarity, and causing, first, a signal comprising impulses ofuniform polarity to initiate operation of a selecting receiver, thencausing another signal comprising impulses of different polarity, toselectively connect the calling line with the selected line, and finaly,causing still another signal to guard the established connection againstinterference by subsequent signals.

2. The method of selective signaling which consists in imparting to aline, code signals of avariety of impulses of different polarity, andcausing, first, a signal comprising impulses of uniform polarity toinitiate operation of a selecting recelver, then causing another signalcomprising impulses of different polarity, to selectively-connect thecalling line with the selected line, and finally, causing still anothersignal to guard the established connection against interference bysubsequent signals.

3. The methodof selective signaling which consists in imparting to aline, code signals of a variety of five impulses of different polarity,and causing, first, a signal comprising impulses of uniform polarity toinitiate operation of a selecting receiver, then causing asignal'comprising impulses of different polarity and non-representativeof printing characters to selectively. connect the calling line with theselected line, and finally, causing another signal non-representative ofprinting characters, to guard the established connection againstinterference by subsequent signals.

4. The method of selective signaling which consists in imparting to aline, code signals of a variety of impulses of different polarity, andcausing, first, a signal comprising impulses of uniform printingcharacters to selectively connect the Calling line with the selectedline, and finally, causing another signal non representative of printingcharacters, to guard the established connection against interference bysubsequent signals.

5. A printing telegraph system comprising a transmitting station havingmeans for sending telegraphic code combinations of line impulses, areceiving station, a main line connecting the same, impulse receivingand impulse distributing means at said receiving station, sub-stationlines, and means for causing certain of said code combinations ofimpulses to selectively connect any of said sub-station lines to saidmain line.

6. A printing telegraph system comprising a transmitting station havingmeans for sending telegraphic code combinations of line impulses, areceiving station, a main line connecting the same, impulse receivingmeans at said receiving station, sub-station lines, and means forcausing certain of said code combinations of impulses to selectivelyconnect any of said sub-station lines to said main line.

'7. A printing telegraph system comprising a main line, transmittingmechanism having a perforated tape transmitter for transmittingtelegraphic code combinations of'impulses, receiving mechanism, impulsereceiving and impulse distributing means in said receiving mechanism,

sub-station lines, and means responsive to certain of said codecombinations for selectively connecting any of'said sub-station lines tosaid main line.

8. A printing telegraph system comprising a line relay, a control relay,a start magnet controlled by said line relay, a rotary distributorinitiated in operation and arrested in operation at the beginning andend of each revolution respectively, by said magnet, a signal relaycontrolled by said distributor, a circuit controlled by saiddistributor, signal relay and line relay, a stepping magnet insaidcircuit, and a sub-station distributor controlled by said steppingmagnet.

' 9. A printing telegraph system comprising a line relay, a. controlrelay, 8, start magnet con- 4 means for transmitting codecombinations ofim.

pulses to a main line, and means auxiliary to said transmitting meansand controlled by certain of said code combinations of impulses fromsaid transmitting means to connect said main lineselectively to one of aplurality of branch lines.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10 in which said transmittingmeans is arranged to transmit said impulses successively to said line,and in which said last'mentioned means comprises a rotary distributor.

12. The combination as set forth in claim 10 in which said lastmentioned means comprises a step by step rotary distributor forconnecting said main line to said branch lines.

13. A printing telegraph systemcomprising means for transmitting codecombinations of impulses to a main line, a step-by-step distributorauxiliaryto said transmitting means and controlled by certainof saidcode combinations 'of impulses from said transmitting means to connectsaid main-line selectively to one of a plurality of branch lines, andmeans for restoring said distributor to initial position inresponse to 1transmission of a, specia1 code combination of impulses and tothereafter advance said distributor step by step in response to thetransmission of a second code combination of impulses and finally inresponse to a. third code combination of impulses to render saiddistributor unresponsive to said second and said third code combinationsof impulses.

ALBERTI-l. REBER. I i

